Comments on: One More Thing for the “To Do” List http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/ The unbearable lightness of Lex. Enjoy! Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:18:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Maritime Monday 135 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-276129 Maritime Monday 135 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:07:43 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-276129 [...] Lex has video of landing a float plane in Victoria Harbor, British Columbia. (That’s in [...] [...] Lex has video of landing a float plane in Victoria Harbor, British Columbia. (That’s in [...]

]]> By: RonF http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-273904 RonF Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:30:09 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-273904 That was <a href="http://www.atikokanaeroservice.com/" rel="nofollow">Atikokan Aero</a> about 10 years ago. Went back there about 3 years ago. A little less excitement on the way out, but I did get the T-shirt and wear it proudly. That was Atikokan Aero about 10 years ago. Went back there about 3 years ago. A little less excitement on the way out, but I did get the T-shirt and wear it proudly.

]]> By: Tailspin http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-273877 Tailspin Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:01:03 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-273877 More floatplanes, for those who care at http://gallery.mac.com/tomharnish#100461 And the huge Martin Mars flying boat at http://tinyurl.com/2wq79t More floatplanes, for those who care at http://gallery.mac.com/tomharnish#100461

And the huge Martin Mars flying boat at
http://tinyurl.com/2wq79t

]]> By: Tailspin http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-273872 Tailspin Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:52:29 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-273872 An alternate view of the same approach (turbine Otter, not Beaver, of course.) http://tinyurl.com/5bs5ms My first floatplane experience was in a tandem-seat biplane. Owner kneeled in front facing aft and told me what to do. Take off and landing under high tension lines was interesting. I was never the same after that, and soon had my rating thanks to the folks at Kenmore Air. An alternate view of the same approach (turbine Otter, not Beaver, of course.)

http://tinyurl.com/5bs5ms

My first floatplane experience was in a tandem-seat biplane. Owner kneeled in front facing aft and told me what to do. Take off and landing under high tension lines was interesting. I was never the same after that, and soon had my rating thanks to the folks at Kenmore Air.

]]> By: RonF http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-273857 RonF Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:01:23 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-273857 Time for my one and only flying story, then. My brothers and I contracted with Bud and Jim's Canoe Canada out of Atikokan, Ont. for a fishing trip. Four of us piled into a DeHaviland Beaver that according to the plate above the door was built in 1952. The interior had seen better days. Some of the amenities were missing, but the pilot had solved his personal issues thereof by pop-riveting the bottom half of a Budweiser can on the inside of the door for an ash tray. Being the heaviest passenger I got to sit in the front seat next to the pilot. We taxied down the lake for takeoff. It's amazing how quickly the end of the lake seemed to come up before we left the water, and how tall the trees there seemed to be. I have to admit that it was rather interesting to fly in an airplane where you can stick your hand out the window in flight. But the most remarkable part of the flight was when the pilot grabbed his log sheets, mumbled around his cigarette "Here, I've got to fill these out, just hold it steady" and flipped the wheel over to me. My hands held the plane steady, about 2000 feet above the trees I figure. Other parts of my body threatened to loosen up spectacularly. The running commentary of bull from my brothers ever since we had taken off died out in shocked silence. "Can I pull it up a bit?" "Sure, go ahead." I didn't have the guts to actually turn the wheel. After a bit he said "O.K." and I swung it back. Thus ended my flying career. About 20 minutes later our intrepid pilot was looking around for the lake we were to land on. "Ah, there it is." Over on the right. At which point he just about stood the plane over on it's right wing tip to make his turn. The guys told me that I just about climbed up in the pilot's seat. The problem was that a) the window was open and b) I didn't quite trust the seat belt. Fun was had, though. I was looking for the same seat on the flight out, but there were fewer thrills. Time for my one and only flying story, then. My brothers and I contracted with Bud and Jim’s Canoe Canada out of Atikokan, Ont. for a fishing trip. Four of us piled into a DeHaviland Beaver that according to the plate above the door was built in 1952. The interior had seen better days. Some of the amenities were missing, but the pilot had solved his personal issues thereof by pop-riveting the bottom half of a Budweiser can on the inside of the door for an ash tray.

Being the heaviest passenger I got to sit in the front seat next to the pilot. We taxied down the lake for takeoff. It’s amazing how quickly the end of the lake seemed to come up before we left the water, and how tall the trees there seemed to be. I have to admit that it was rather interesting to fly in an airplane where you can stick your hand out the window in flight. But the most remarkable part of the flight was when the pilot grabbed his log sheets, mumbled around his cigarette “Here, I’ve got to fill these out, just hold it steady” and flipped the wheel over to me.

My hands held the plane steady, about 2000 feet above the trees I figure. Other parts of my body threatened to loosen up spectacularly. The running commentary of bull from my brothers ever since we had taken off died out in shocked silence. “Can I pull it up a bit?” “Sure, go ahead.” I didn’t have the guts to actually turn the wheel. After a bit he said “O.K.” and I swung it back. Thus ended my flying career.

About 20 minutes later our intrepid pilot was looking around for the lake we were to land on. “Ah, there it is.” Over on the right. At which point he just about stood the plane over on it’s right wing tip to make his turn. The guys told me that I just about climbed up in the pilot’s seat. The problem was that a) the window was open and b) I didn’t quite trust the seat belt.

Fun was had, though. I was looking for the same seat on the flight out, but there were fewer thrills.

]]> By: oldskydog http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/11/03/one-more-thing-for-the-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-273833 oldskydog Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:47:59 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=6025#comment-273833 "What’s tricky is docking a single-engine float plane with a fixed pitch prop and no starter. To begin with, there are no brakes, per se, and the propeller is always producing some thrust." Its hard enough with two engines, one has got to be a real challenge. As far as controlling the thrust, we would "blip" the engines as necessary..that is, switch the mags off with the master switch momentarily. Obviously the trick is to turn "em back on before they totally quit, but you get the feel for it pretty quick. “What’s tricky is docking a single-engine float plane with a fixed pitch prop and no starter. To begin with, there are no brakes, per se, and the propeller is always producing some thrust.”

Its hard enough with two engines, one has got to be a real challenge. As far as controlling the thrust, we would “blip” the engines as necessary..that is, switch the mags off with the master switch momentarily. Obviously the trick is to turn “em back on before they totally quit, but you get the feel for it pretty quick.

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